HOUSTON — Tom Brady threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns and the Patriots snapped a two-game skid and clinched a playoff spot by defeating the Texans.

Brady threw scoring passes to Keshawn Martin and tight end Rob Gronkowski — an All-Pro who returned after missing a game with a sprained knee and bone bruise — in the first half to help New England build a 17-6 lead.

New England didn't move the ball as well in the second half, but the defense harassed Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer into multiple mistakes. Defensive lineman Jabaal Sheard had strip sacks on Hoyer twice after halftime. The Patriots recovered the second one early in the fourth quarter, and James White made it 27-6 with a 2-yard run three plays later.

Hoyer was sacked five times and left to be evaluated for a concussion with about nine minutes left. The quarterback already missed a game this season after getting a concussion on Nov. 16.

The Bucs have reached an agreement on a contract with Washington defensive tackle Vita Vea, the team's first-round pick.Terms of the deal were not released, but Vea is expected to receive a four-year contract worth $14.82-million that includes ...

The dust has settled from another NFL draft, and Bucs general manager Jason Licht has made three promotions in his scouting department as a new year of player evaluation begins.Byron Kiefer, entering his 14th season with the Bucs and fourth as a nati...

TAMPA — Washington is on to Vegas. The Lightning is not. So we asked the Times' Lightning coverage team for the single biggest reason Tampa Bay isn't headed to the Stanley Cup final. Here's their answers:Roger Mooney, staff writer: Th...

TAMPA — Hours before the puck drops at Amalie Arena for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, the ice crew boss talks about putting off any sign of the end for as long as possible."We don’t want to see the front-end loaders," says Tom Miracle, who...

VERO BEACH — To become the first Pasco County team and just the third from the area to win consecutive state titles, Land O’Lakes knew it had to get past a familiar — and determined — opponent in Thursday’s Class 6A championship game.The Gators faced...

The Lightning will miss out on the Stanley Cup final after being shut out by the Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final. The Bolts were the highest-scoring team during the regular season but failed to score in almost all of the final eigh...

For two guys who said they didn't make much of matching up, they sure dueled like they did in Boston's 4-1 victory that was decided after they left.Chris Archer, the Rays current top starter, worked six impressive innings, allowing one run and four h...

The Lightning was shut out once in the first 97 games of the season, the playoffs included. Then it was shut out during the last two games of the Eastern Conference final, including 4-0 on Wednesday to the Capitals in Game 7.Here are some postgame re...

ST. PETERSBURG — The increased competition in the IndyCar Series was on display during qualifying for Sunday's Indianapolis 500.Two fan favorites (Pippa Mann and 2013 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg winner James Hinchcliffe) couldn't crack th...